Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is expected to return Sunday for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury early in the 2023 season. In a Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, Chubb tore his ACL and damaged his ACL, causing him to undergo two surgeries and miss the remainder of the team's 2023 season.

Chubb missed the first six games of the 2024 season but is expected to return for the first time since his injury on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Before taking the field again, Chubb opened up about his experience with the injury to The Player's Tribune. Chubb recalled that one of the first people he saw supporting online was Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. After Chubb’s injury, James posted on X: “Nick Chubb. I pray for the absolute best.”

“The first tweet I see…LeBron James,” Chubb shared.

“The funny thing is he didn’t even tag me, but the algorithm knows who I am so he flagged it straight away.”

“I think: Oh my God, What happened? I am lively right?” wrote the four-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro honoree.

“But seriously, this news meant a lot to me. Just LeBron and everyone who showed me love in a really dark time. But I can't lie to you. At that moment I thought I had probably played my last NFL game.”

James, who was born in Akron, Ohio, is a fan of the nearby Browns, although he often supports athletes from numerous teams in various sports. James also began his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 20-time All-Star played for the Cavaliers from 2003 to 2010 and then returned to the team from 2014 to 2018. The Cavaliers won an NBA championship with James on the team in 2016, defeating the Golden State Warriors. James also led Cleveland to five NBA Finals berths during his tenure with the club.

The Browns are still looking for their first Super Bowl win and don't appear to be particularly close this year after starting the season with a 1-5 record. The offense should get a boost from the return of Chubb, who was the NFL's third-leading rusher in 2022 when he was last healthy.

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